Silence
by pmollymay
Summary: The seventy six Hunger games is upon us. Only one thing is on Camellia's mind right now, getting her and her younger brother Col enough money to move into a house of their own. With Gale's help, she has a plan. It wasn't easy getting him to help her. But she has and now the goal is in reach. The last thing from her mind was being a tribute in the games. It was her last year,
1. The Beginning

**Hey, I'm going to give this a shot! I have had this idea for awhile and I finally got the nerve to post. I hope you like it!**

_**The beginning**_

Another year, another games, another group of kids that we will never see again. Nothing seems to change. I kick the rock in front of me and walk down the dirt path. We got out of school early for the 'holiday' that will be upon us soon. I keep my head down as I walk because there are a lot of people off work early. It's about a ten minute walk to the end of the Seam to where my house is. So I pull my thinning hood farther in front of my face and continue walking. Nobody notices me as I walk. That's how I like it. The conversations around me are giving me a headache.

"I wonder which district will win this year." An older man says. I glance over to him. It's just Joe. He doesn't have any kids left to be taken into the games. So he doesn't care. Most of his kids were taken when they turned twelve. It makes sense that he doesn't care anymore. I wouldn't too.

"Most likely a career." Benny replies. "They always win." I watch as he ashes his cigarette and spits. Gross. I can tell that neither of them really care anymore.

"Mommy, I don't want to go tomorrow." God, that whining. My eyes drift over to the right to a little boy crying to his mother. I hurry my pace so I don't have to listen to that crap. I walk to the trees near my place and climb up.

Most of the town kids think the worst thing in the world is forgetting to do their homework for school. Sure they get in trouble at school, but they only get a scolding from the teacher. For the parents or other adults from the town it's waking up later than normal and getting to work just a hair late. Most of them look down on the ones from the Seam, the ones who are starving or have little to eat or don't shower daily, so they are dirty. Those from the Seam, most people are worried about their next meal. Anyone from the Seam will do almost anything to get their next meal. It's almost sad on how people seem to forget everything around them and what's going on around them, or chose not to do anything if it will mean stepping out of their own little space and getting noticed by a peacekeeper.

I sit here on my favorite branch and watch from the comfort of my shady place in the tree, the world around me. From this tree I can see most of the Seam. I pretty much know everything going on in the Seam. I sigh as I listen to the familiar shouting from the house three doors to my left. The mother is yelling at her oldest son for causing a fight at school with a town kid. In the other way, five doors to the right is the familiar cry of the little boy whose stomach is hurting from not eating. His father will be home in an hour with some meat he picked up from his way home today from working in the coal mines. Behind that house and one house away is the home of my neighbors. A large family lives there; a mother, her adult son, his two younger brothers and the little sister. All these homes/shacks are pretty spread out than in the town. Each one has about an acre of land. Descendent size for being poor, but land doesn't sell anymore. I can't really say that. I wasn't alive when it was. The cool wind rustles the leaves in this old tree and brushes against my sore cheek. It's the beginning of summer in this mountain valley. Some of my brown hair blows in the wind in front of my face. The sun is going to go down and that means I need to be ready for when my neighbor gets home.

I climb down my tree with skill that I don't remember getting or practicing. One day with an adrenalin rush I just ran up the tree with no problem. That had to be six or seven years ago now. Landing two feet on the ground I feel the pain in my ankle again, but I ignore it. I turn, pull my hood over my head and walk through the normal path to my house. Even through people are dealing with their own things, I still get waved at and greeted. I only nod my head and continue walking. It only takes a second to get to the front steps of my still quiet house. No one will be home for the rest of the day. The door creaks loudly as I push is open. This home is very old and big for a home in the Seam. There are four rooms; the kitchen and living room, bathroom and three bedrooms. I walk to the bedroom closet to the door and sigh. I will be so glad to get out of this house in four months and move out on my own. Most likely take my brother with me. I kick off my torn day shoes at the door as I shut it. My bed seems so soft and comfy, but I have a job to do. So instead collapsing on my bed I walk to the closet to pull on my mother's old boots. I have kept them in good condition and I only wear them when I go out. I hear the familiar quiet door creak of my neighbor's back door. That means I need to get going. I spot the old black smooth bag in the back of the small closet that really only holds my nice clothes. I pick it up and swing it over my shoulder and walk into the kitchen. Quickly and with no effort, I pull together a small and pathetic excuse of a meal on a plate for my brother. It is only a piece of bread and most of the remaining meat. I pick the plate up and bring it into the room next to mine. After I set it on the bed I cover it with another plate that is under the bed and with the thin blanket that is on my younger brother's bed. Soon I won't have to do this. The same but softer creak from the neighbor's door tells me I need to leave so I do.

I walk out my door and find the young man with short brown hair walking farther into the Seam. He is tall and covered in coal dust. This is him. I follow behind him quietly as he walks. He knows I'm following, I know this because he shakes his head slowly and I can tell he rolls his eyes when he does. We get to what we, as in the district, likes to call the meadow. It's not a meadow, it's really a weed infested field. But no one cares or really has time to make it look beautiful. Neither of us talks as we walk to the fence. I don't hear the buzzing that tells us not today from across the field. Normally when I do I stop. He knows this and when he hears my light footsteps still behind he keeps going to the fence. He gets there and kneels down and goes under the fence. I follow suit and we walk into the dense forest.

I watch as his callus, black dusted hands grab the hidden bow and quiver from one of the trees. I go to my familiar tree and grab mine that I made.

"You are wearing your hood again." His voice is hard and quiet as he pulls the quiver on.

"So." My voice is soft and quite. That is most likely the first thing I said all day. I think my voice is annoying so I don't talk much. I prefer watching. He doesn't say anything as he scans our surrounding. There isn't anything near us right now so he walks over to the hill.

The view is beautiful this time of year, the sun setting on the rest of the valley that I will never get to see. But I'm fine with that. I stay back as he looks at me with his grey eyes. His face has aged a lot since going down into the mines two years ago. He has gotten colder lately too.

"There is no use hiding it when I can see it, Lia." That's his nickname for me. My real name is Camellia Iris. It means perfection and wisdom. Yeah my mother didn't name me well. I have neither of those.

"I'm not hiding anything, Gale." The second thing I said. He glares at me with his stone cold eyes. I can see the sadness he hides so well. When that doesn't work he walks over to me and pulls my hood off a little too hard. I can hear the rip of the fabric. "Now I have to fix it again." I groan as I unzip the thin jacket as he looks at my face. "What?"

"You need to stand up for yourself." Gale deadpans as he looks at my purple and black cheek.

"I do." I tell him as I pull the coat off and look the hood and roll my eyes. He ripped half of the hood. "You need to control yourself, man. What if you get angry in the town?" I ask as I shove the coat into my bag. Gale only shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't really care. What can the peacekeepers do? Beat me? Kill me?" He scoffs. "I would kill them before they get the chance to touch me." I roll my eyes again as I pull out some bread and the small jar of jam I made from my bag.

"Eat." I shove it in his face. Gale takes it and we both sit down and eat the little bit of bread I brought with me. It will do us for now.

"What was the argument about today? I heard you cussing him out." Gale comments after awhile. I curl up and wrap my arms around my knees as I normally do and look out into the deeper valley.

"What are we always arguing about now a days?" I ask sarcastically. "Where the little bit of money that both of us bring in, legally?" Gale hands me a piece of bread he put some of my blue berry jam on. I take it and take a bite.

"So how long did you last before you punched him?" He asks.

"About ten minutes of him yelling and hitting me." I confess then I let out a soft chuckle. "If a peacekeeper ever seen him hitting me…"

"They won't do shit and you know it." Gale cuts me off. "That's what's wrong with this country." Now here comes his rant. So I do my best to curl up into a tighter ball and block out most of what he says. I heard most of it before and I have had nightmares from them. About the way he goes off and tells me how he would kill Snow, our president, in graphic detail and everyone else that lives in the Capitol. At first things we were fine, we didn't talk. He didn't even acknowledge me following him into the woods. Then slowly he starts talking. Gale had gotten dark over the last two years. Darker each year. Half the things he says are frighten to hear from the neighbor boy to say.

When he is done ranting we start hunting. Despite his anger, Gale is a great hunter. He taught me how to set snares, gather berries, fish; anything you can think of. I could tell he missed her very much from the first lesson. He even called me her name and told me I should know this by now. Sometimes he still does, I just let it slide. I never really got to know the poor girl. But she had a strong effect on him. A big one. Today's hunting goes well. He shots three birds and I had to resort to using my knife and throwing it. I got two birds that way. I have always been better with my knife. I can use a bow just fine, but the pain in my left shoulder won't let my use it. We gutted all five of them fast and he sends me to collect some strawberries. I have a few big jars I keep in my bag that I carry to put berries in. Getting the jar filled half way is simple and fast, so I join Gale at the hill. This was their spot. I respect that and wait at the edge of the tree until he waves me over.

"How are the berries?" He asks as he throws a rock off the edge.

"Good, got half a jar with some still on the bush." I tell him as I show him the jar. Gale nods but looks distracted.

"It will be a three years ago in two days." He comments quietly. I know what he is talking about. So I put the jar back into my bag and wait for him to talk. He doesn't normally talk to me about anything other than hunting, the Capitol, and standing up for myself. "Your last one, right?"

"Yes, I just turned eighteen." I remind him.

"Your brother's first one?" He asks in a low voice.

"Yeah, he isn't looking forward to it." I inform him.

"Neither is the rest of the Seam 12 year olds." He comments bitterly. When he calms himself, he talks again. "You listen to my orders?" I nod.

"Yes, he understands that I will kill him if he takes out any tesserea." I tell him firmly. "I have already gotten my full time position at the bakery." He nods and stares out into the valley.

"Good. After this summer, you are not allowed into these woods." He tells me in a firm fatherly voice. "You and your brother will move into the town at the beginning of school."

"Planning on it, but why can't I come back in here?" I ask. This part I never understood of the plan.

"Because you will be caught. They will start running the fence daily and you don't want to be caught out here when they have it running. They will kill you and your brother will be killed by your father." His words are sharp and normal. I really don't know what to say to that. So I say nothing. "Come on, let's get to the Hob." Gale turns and walks down the hill. This will be the last time we talk about the plan he made for me.

We get to the Hob easily and unseen. I pull my hood up and follow Gale into the warehouse. It's still the same as it was when it started. Rows and rows of things people are selling that you won't find in town. It's full of people, sound and smells. Like the Hob is normally. We go over to our normal main costumer, Greasy Sae. The old lady we can always trust and rely on. Gale and she don't talk as she gives him money for a one of the smaller birds I thrown a knife into its heart. She smiles at the knife mark in the middle of the chest.

"Honey, you are getting better at it every day." She says in her old caring voice. I smile at her for only a second. She can only see the top of my lip down to my chin thanks to this hood. But she is the only other person aware of the bruises I get. Her boney old fingers reach for my hand and she pulls me into her stall. She gives me a warm hug that I can't find myself to return one. "On your way home, she might have something you can get. Tell her I sent you sweet pea." She whispers into my ear so Gale can't hear. She lets go and we continue to sell most of the bird meat. We will keep a bird and a fourth, a bird for his family and the small fourth for me and my brother. I don't feed that man that lives with me the meat I get from hunting.

"I'm going to sell the berries, you should head… home." Gale tells me. I think he knows what Sae told me. So I quietly nod and pull the bag off my shoulder. "Tell her hi." He says as I hand the bag. Yep, he knows. I nod and watch him walk away from the Hob and into the town. I sigh and walk back into the Seam. I shouldn't go with him a way. A peacekeeper will ask me to take my hood off and I don't want Gale getting in trouble… again. It only takes me five minutes to get to the small little shack. On the right side of the house is a beautiful garden of all sorts of colors. Someone has been working hard already. I walk up to the front door and knock. The door opens promptly. On the other side of the door is a girl only three years younger than me with blond hair. She smiles brightly at me with more than her smile, but with her bright blue eyes. She looks like a town girl. Her hair is cut neatly at her shoulders and she still wears her light gray school outfit.

"Hello." She greets with a smile. I don't know how this little girl can be so cheery.

"Hello." I greet in my quiet voice. "Is you mother available, Prim?" I ask in a barely audible voice.

"Yeah." She steps away from the door and lets me in before shutting the door. I keep my head down as she calls her mother.

"Who is it, Primrose?" Her mother calls from her room. The girl looks at me hard.

"It's Camellia." I whisper. Prim's face lights up even brighter.

"I couldn't even tell with your big jacket on and the hood over your face." She laughs. "Mom, it's Camellia." She calls as her mother walks out her door. The graying woman smiles as she sees me. Prim looks just like her mother. Only difference is the age and height. Mrs. Everdeen's skin doesn't look as old as I know her to be.

"Thank you Prim. Now go run off and play with your friends. Your done for today." Prim smile drops.

"But I want to finish the mixing medicine." She says.

"You can do it before bed. Now go have some fun before dinner." Her mother is firm with her, but not to firm to discourage the little thing. I admire this family. They are strong because of her, even in her absences.

"Ok, mom." Prim says before running out the door. That little girl was hurt and cried for a few days after her sister died. Then Gale pulled her aside and told her that her sister wouldn't like it if she stopped being the little girl she was because she wasn't there anymore. I really think that is the only reason why Prim and her mother are still going strong even after two all most three years.

"So what's going on?" Mrs. Everdeen asks with look in her eye that already knows why I'm there.

"Sae told me I needed to stop by." I tell her sheepishly. I watch as she walks over and pulls the hood off softly. She sees the bruise and checks it out. I watch as she moves her tongue up against her cheek as she examines the bruise.

"Where else?" she asks. I pull off my jacket and roll up the long sleeve to show her the place where there looks to be a hand.

"My shoulder and ankle hurt as well." I confess as I look her in the eye. She nods and gently grabs my arm to look at the bruise.

"I knew your father in school. I knew he would turn out like this." She comments as she sighs. "Is Col all banged up?" She asks as she bends down and pulls my left boot off.

"No, I don't let him touch him." I tell her firmly. She then laughs as she takes my worn sock off.

"Yes, I saw the bruise and the swelling on his jaw this morning." She smirks as she starts to check for any broken bones. "Looks like you only have a sprain. You will be fine if you keep it wrapped with what I will wrap it with." She comments as she puts the sock and boot on. "Now take your shirt off, I need to see your shoulder." I groan as I reluctantly take my shirt off. Only in my bra, Mrs. Everdeen stands up and walks behind me.

"It hurt too much to work my bow." I tell her as she runs her fingers over my shoulder as I bite back pain.

"Looks like you fell backwards after he hit you and you fell and landed on your foot wrong and hit your shoulder on something. It's out of place." She tells me as she grips my other shoulder and my arm. In one quick movement, she pulls my shoulder into place. I yelp quietly at the sudden pain of the bone being put back into place. "Next time come see me after it happens. It won't hurt as bad. You can put your shirt on now." She tells me. She walks into the kitchen and has me follow her. Mrs. Everdeen pulls out a small container from the cabinet. "Rub this on the bruise and your ankle, your cheek will start getting better by the reaping." I nod and slip my jacket on and put the tub into my pocket. Out the window, I can see the sun has set already. Oh crap.

"I got to go." I tell her before running out the door and down the beaten path to my house. I need to get there before he does. I see the light on in my house and I know this isn't a good sign. I run and see my window. I get there and jump into the low window and quickly take my boots and jacket off and shove them into the closet. I see my black bag isn't in here, thank you Gale. I don't need him in here and seeing something that shouldn't. I hear him in the kitchen looking for some food that isn't there. The loud crashing sound tells me he just got back from the Hob. That means he just gotten home.

"Camellia, where is all the God Damn food?" The man cries out in anger with a heavy slur. I walk from my closet to my door and take a deep breath in.

"Where the hell do you think it went?" I shout at him before opening the door. I see he's covered in coal dust in his dirty old worn out clothes going through all the cabinets. He is tall with graying hair and skin that seems to be turning yellow.

"You hide it again you unworthy…" He starts off as he slams one of the very thin old doors. It snaps again. Great another thing to fix when he is at work.

"Hey, not in front of Col." I shout. "He doesn't need to hear that filth from the man that calls himself his father again." He turns to me and narrows his eyes at me. I lock eyes with him and challenge the old, ugly man.

"He's old enough to participate in the reaping to get slaughtered, why can he hear my profanities?" He yells at me in a condescending voice. Out of the corner of my eye I see Col sitting on his bed doing homework, listening to this. Col is getting scared now to the point of shaking. He's like me, a short kid with dark brown hair and blue eyes, nothing like the man in front of me.

"He is only twelve." I shout back. "He being able to stand in a group of kids doesn't mean jack, and you know it." I need to get the door shut before it get ugly, again.

"So you think he won't get picked. Are you so sure?" The old man ask me with the heavy slur. I don't think I ever remember hearing his normal voice. A voice not influenced by that disgusting drink. "Or is that the normal thing older siblings tell the younger ones just so the whining will stop, while they secretly can't wait for them to be shipped off and killed on TV?" He only asks that to frighten the little boy in his room. I hate it when he plays his mind games. It's worse than the physical abuse. I would rather get a scar than have something I can't fix in my head or my brother's.

"You Jerk. Don't you remember your brother telling you the same thing? You two were best friends." I shout as I point to him as take a step closer. I really can't stand this man.

"Sure, but that doesn't mean you don't wish him dead." The man spits out before his sips more of his damn, cursed drink. I can't stand the crap he drinks almost as much as him.

"No, I don't wish Col dead. I wish you were dead." I growl lowly at the man as I walk over and shut my brother's door. I don't expect this to end well.

"Let him see us argue, maybe he will be a real man after that and help his old pap in the mines as his sister laze around and do nothing." He says in a fake hopeful tone. He is only mocking me. He knows damn well I have a job. So he's just trying to piss me off.

"I do more than you will ever do in your whole life time." I tell him. For that I get the empty bottle he just finished off thrown at my head. I move my head to the side and avoid it with no problem. The argument erupts from there. We shout and hit each other back and forth for hours as he drinks more and more. I get a bottle thrown into my back as I try to walk away. So in result, I take a broken piece of glass and throw it at his hand. I cause a deep cut and that makes him drop the bottle on the ground and it shatters. That's when he lunges at me and pins me against the wall. The man hits me over and over again in the face with his closed fist. None of this is new to me. Him punching me in the face is almost a way for him to say good morning. So I won't let him win this fight. My knee collides with his groin and he falls to the ground in defeat. I won this fight and he knows it. After he recovers, he grabs the rest of his bottles and stumbles into his room with his middle finger held high in the air. It's almost funny to watch him not being able to walk straight between the drink and the beating I just gave him. "You too jerk." I shout at him with a smirk. "You too." His response is just to slam the door and rattle the house. I don't care though. He is done for the day. Now I need to clean up and check on Col. I'm a pro at cleaning glass and the smell up, only ten minutes. Then I wash the blood off my face from the broken nose the man gave me. I'm used to the pain after the years of going against him, but I will need Gale to pop my nose back into place and check the cuts out.

Getting as cleaning up as I can, I knock on my little brother's door and enter to room silently. He's sitting in the far corner in a ball. I frown as I walk over to him and pull him into my lap. Col always gets so scared when the Thing and I fight.

"Everything is fine." I whisper to him. "You will be fine. I will never let him hurt you." Still nothing, he must be worried about the reaping. "You have your name in there once. Your one name in there with a thousand other names. Your chances of getting picked are very small. Remember math class when you did percents?" He nods. "What percent do you think that is? One out of one thousand."

"A very small one." His words are quiet and timid as he tries to stop shaking. Col knows he's safe with me.

"Exactly and you know what? If your name is picked, I will be right by your side the entire way." I promise him as I poke his nose gently. His eyes look at me with confusion. "I will volunteer and stay by your side and make sure you win. And guess what? You will be the first twelve year old to ever win the games." I tell him happily.

"Are you so sure you can kill the careers?" He asks in a sad voice that just breaks my heart. I take in a deep breath as I think hard on what to tell this smart young boy in my arms.

"Because, I'm a career myself." I whisper to him with a smirk. His watery eyes widen and stare at mine.

"Really?" He asks with a hint of hopefulness.

"Yep, Dad helps me with building my endurance training. That's why I can last longer each time we…talk." I half fib to the boy. Yes, I get stronger each time we fight. But it's not for the games. It's to protect him. "The reason I said you get to stay out until sundown is because that last few years… I have been training just for you." I can see Col calming down as he hangs onto every word I tell him. "I have been going out in the woods with Gale and he has taught me how to hunt and live in the woods for weeks." This helps the little boy out a lot.

"Why haven't you told me?" He asks innocently and some excitement. Part of me wants to tell him that I didn't tell him because that's not the reason, but I know I shouldn't. I sigh and think up a reason behind my lie. I was out there, but not for him like that. It fit's though.

"Well, I hoped I never would have to let you know." I tell him quietly as if I'm admitting a big secret. He hugs me and I hold in a yelp.

"Thank you, Lia." He says with a yawn before pulling back. Col doesn't seem to notice he had hurt me a little bit. Really, I don't plan on ever letting him know. My little secret.

"Did you get your homework done?" I ask him. The subject needed to change, I can't have him falling asleep thinking about the games and killing kids. He nods as he shuts his sleepy eyes for another yawn. I can't help but smile at his cuteness. "Well, let's get you tucked in." I whisper as I lift him up in my arm and set him on the bed waiting for him. The pain isn't too bad with the little added weight. What hurts more is the fact that he isn't heavy enough to hurt me…I look to the bed. It's an old bed. I'm hoping I will be able to afford a newer bed for him soon. I take the thin blanket and tuck him in. "Good night Col."

"Night, Lia." He says. Then he is out like a lamp. The poor guy's energy was sucked out of him because of my fight with his father. I sigh and turn the light off in his room and slowly shut the door. Silently I turn off all the lights except the kitchen light and walk into my room. Even through it's painful, I pull on my jacket and school shoes and hope out my window. Slowly I walk the small distance to the front door of the house next to mine. I don't even need to knock on the door when the one of the tall boys of the house opens the door. Some must have seen me after getting out of the window.

"Hi Lia." It's Rory. The second oldest in the family, kid wise. He is looks more like his brother every day. But not the with the exact cold or stone chiseled face.

"Hi Rory." I greet him as he lets me into the small house. This room doubles as a kitchen living room and Gale's room. Then the rest of them sleep in the bed room. It's sad and I really want to trade homes but I don't thing Gale would like that. Vick, who looks just like his fifteen year old brother but shorter, run up to me and hugs me tight. "Hi Vick." I chuckle with a smile because I really can't do anything else. It's too painful. This family has been more of a family than that man… So I will let the little guy hug me as long as he wants.

"Hey Lia. Is the shop going to be open tomorrow?" He asks. I roll my eyes at the thirteen year old. That's why he hugged me. I shake my head and let go of him.

"Yes, but I don't think I can give you anymore sugar. You are still on a sugar high from last week." I joke with him. He frowns instantly and walks away. He will always be like that. Rory joins his brother at the table and work on their homework. Gale seems to be nowhere in sight, but I can hear him in with his mother in her room. Posy is in there as well. I hear her giggling. Before long, the door opens and out comes Hazelle, his aging mother, and Posy, the little bundle of joy in her arms. The little girl sees me and her eyes light up as she makes her mother drop her. She has the same hair color and eyes as me, but her face as the Hawthorne look to it shape.

"Hi Posy." I crouch down and smile at the little girl. The little girl can't help but run over to me and give me a very tight and painful hug. It's really hard not to show a sign of pain. I can feel Hazelle's eyes on me. My eyes meet hers and I can see that she knows full well that this is hurting me. They all heard the yelling and the screaming. Gale has told me many times. It breaks my heart every time that I cuss during the arguments because I know that little Posy could be hearing it. "How has my favorite little girl been doing?" I ask as I let her go and smile brightly at her. Out of the corner of my eye I see Hazelle walk into her room real quick and then to the kitchen.

"Good!" She says with pure joy. "I was able to get Vick and Rory to play with me." Posy is a sweet little girl. Sometimes, I wish Col and I was born into the Hawthorne family. Things would be much simpler.

"You must have done a lot of crying to get them to play." I joke a little bit with her and she just beams.

"Been so long since I saw you." She squeals. This little girl can always cheer me up. I smile and pat her on the head before she returns to the table with her other brothers. Slowly, I stand up and try to keep the painful expression from my face as a clean Gale walks out of the bedroom. I raise my eyebrow at him confused. I laugh.

"Don't you look nice." I say sarcastically as I turn around and walk out the door with him in tow. This is normal for us. We get far enough away from our houses so neither of our younger siblings sees what's going to happen. Once at my favorite tree, he beings to work.

"Mom made me bath. The coal dust was getting to her." He mumbles as he pulls the glass out of my many cuts on my back.

"Sounds like her." I comment as I hold back a cry. All the hugging really pushed the glass deeper.

"What was it now?" Gale asks for the second time today.

"He was frightening Col about the reaping." I deadpan. Gale doesn't speak as he rips a big piece of glass out.

"I heard that scream." He deadpans back. The games are hard to talk about with him. His last games he had his name in forty two times and little Prim got pulled instead. She only had her name in once. Which made her sister take her place; Gale has never been the same after that moment.

"I wasn't screaming." I defend. "But anyway, I had to tell him I was a career and I have been training for him. You know, just in case his name does get pulled. I can volunteer and go in with him to make sure he wins." Gale doesn't say anything for awhile as he pulls the remaining glass shards out of my back. More blood comes but neither of us are really affected by it. Once done, he helps clean up the blood and cuts enough so I won't get an infection. The alcohol from the bottle will help prevent infection, so I'm not concerned.

"That will only work once." He states in an even tone. I know he's right. I'm just glad he isn't going to yell at me for even saying that. The conversation stops now. Gale is a good friend. I'm glad he is my neighbor. I would never be able to get though this with a level head without him. I pull my shirt and jacket down as we walk back to my window. Silently, like many other nights, Gale helps me into my window and goes back home.


	2. Reaping

The man is nowhere to be seen this morning. I hope he die from alcohol poisoning… he left yesterday morning and hasn't came back home since. I went to work at the bakery and had an easy day baking bread. Then I came home and helped Col with the last bit of his homework. When I didn't see him come in after dinner, I was relieved and started to wish his death. Now I'm helping my brother into his new reaping clothes that I just got for him. The shirt and pants belonged to Vick, he grew out of them. The shoes I had to get from someone else. But they fit perfectly. I unbutton the top button on his shirt and smile at the nervous boy.

"Don't you look mighty handsome?" I joke with him. He shallows hard and closes his eyes. So I pull him into a hug and hold the little boy when he starts to shake. "Remember, there are a thousand names in there and only one of yours." I pull away and gently push his shoulder with a smirk on my face. "Plus you have the best weapon possible; your big sister will kick anyone's butt if they cross you." This calms him down a bit. I pick up the brush I set on his bed and brush his still wet hair. "You and I will be there fairly early." I state. "The line gets big fast and the scared kids get there last, so it takes forever." I can just remember the previous years. "You will have your finger pricked and they will take your hand and dab it on the paper. Then you are free to go to your section. I will take you there and wait for your friends." I smile at him as I talk. Hoping it will help. "Then I will have to go to the other girls."I inform him. Facts help us calm down. "After that, we will meet up with the Hawthornes. No matter what happens." His hair is short enough that I don't have to pull it to the side. It will be fine once it dries.

"Thanks." He tells me weakly before he takes in a deep breath. I look him in the eyes. Col is still nervous.

"You will be fine no matter what." I promise before setting the brush back down. "I can promise you that." He smiles a little as I push his shoulder back gently. "I will hold you and kiss your cheek after the reaping like you did to me if you want." My voice goes into the baby voice I used to use when he was a baby. To add to the babyish, I go to pinch his cheeks.

"No gross. I'm twelve years old now. I don't need my older sister kissing me." He scoffs and pushes me away. This makes me laugh.

"Fine. Go eat and so I can get ready." I tell him as I take him to the kitchen. Col sits on the chair at the small table and eats the cool down bird, berries, and special bread Mr. Mellark gave me yesterday for my brother. I smile a little bit just thinking about how his stomach will be this full on a regular basis. As much as I would love to stand here and watch him eat, I need to change. My feet move and I walk into my room. I sigh as I look into the closet. There are two outfits in it. My work clothes and my reaping clothes, after today my reaping clothes with become my work clothes. I pull the light orange dress out and set it on the bed. Then orange flats and throw them on the bed too. It's the dress my mother got for me. I hate orange, but this always has been close to my heart. I strip down and pull the dress on. It's a bit too big, but I can live. I take my socks off and slip into the orange flats. This is my last sad day in this dress. I take the brush I brought in here and brush my long brown hair out before putting it into a simple French braid. My mother taught me how to do it by myself at the age of ten. I check my work in the mirror. Still got it. But my smile drops when I see my face. The bruises are there, but almost gone. Cameras won't be able to see it, no matter how close. People will be able to blame it on the lights.

I walk out and find my brother has finished eating. I smile as he takes his plate and washes it off. Col seems calmer as he grabs my hand and we walk outside and to the town. I'm glad that he doesn't seem as scared as I was when I was younger. That's good. We get there really early. The workers are still setting up. So I pull Col over to one of the main shops right in the town square, my work. I walk in the open front door. It's not open on reaping, but I know the owners real well. I walk in and Mr. Mellark walks in from the back and smiles at both of them. He is a big fat man with blond thick hair.

"Camellia and Col, nice for you to stop by." He smiles and laughs cheerfully. He doesn't have to worry about losing any more of his boys. They are all over the age eighteen and one of them has already been reaped.

"Hello, Mr. Mellark. We got here early and thought we stopped by." I greet him with a smile. He looks at the little boy holding onto my hand and chuckles.

"Looks just like one of my boy on his first reaping day." He laughs.

"I do?" Col asks.

"Yea. He was trying to be so strong for me and my wife and his older brothers." He tells Col. "I will be right back." The big man covered in sugar walks back into the kitchen and comes back out with a bag of cookies and hands it to him. "I make a batch for the tributes every year. I tend to make extras and secretly give them to some kids. You know, to give them something to look forward to each year. You want to be my newest twelve year old on the list." He asks as the little boy's eyes widen at the bag of three chocolate chip cookies in the small bag. I could never afford to give him anything like this. Normally, I can get the small pastries that weren't able to be sold anymore. But that's it.

"Really?" He asks with hope in his eyes.

"Sure. I'm not the fat happy man for nothing." Mr. Mellark smiles at the young boy who starts eating one of the cookies. I glare at him and his swallows hard.

"Sorry." He says to the man. "Thank you very much." Both of us laugh as Col goes back to his cookie. "So where is Peeta?" The kid asks with his mouth full.

"He is getting ready with the mayor. Sorry kid." Mr. Mellark tells the kid as tries to mess up his hair.

"I cut it so you couldn't." I scoff and chuckle at my boss. "I knew you were going to do that." The man looks sad before he laughs. We stay for another fifteen minutes and then leave. Everything is ready and kids have already lined up at the check in. That was pretty fast, or we took long in the bakery. Not really sure. I walk him over to the line and he hides his cookies in his pants pocket. "You will be just fine. There are only about fifty kids before us." I tell him as he grips my hand tight. Is it bad that the only thought I have it that the peacekeeper will have no problem getting blood from his finger but I will have a hard time and most likely be pricked three times? Anyway kids line up quickly line up behind us. It's going to be awhile, so I look around. This district is breaking down and looking weaker and weaker every year. Each year we only make more signs and cover the cracks up with them. The Justice Building looks better, after our last win the Justice Building got cleaned up for the many cameras that came. Can't really have the place look bad to the capital after all. Soon Col is next and I see the Peacekeeper wave her gloved hand to the little boy. He grips my hand even tighter. I hold my hand up and pry his hand off of mine before hold his hand out to the peacekeeper. She doesn't grab it as she pricks it. Col tries jerking his hand back at the shock, but I hold his arm steady. I dab his finger on the paper and she scans it.

"Thank you, Col Iris, you may go." She says in her firm voice.

"Go to the boy twelve year olds; I will see you in a second." I tell him as I mess with his hair. He nods and walks over, scared out of his mind. "First year, His has a hard grip." I comment as I shake my hand out before giving it to her. And sure enough, nothing comes out. Three fingers later and we finally have blood.

"Sure does." The female peacekeeper is almost astonished. She dabs my finger on the paper and I leave to go get my brother. Doesn't take long to spot him in the crowd. Col is standing in a group of his friends, and he is fine. Col is the one taking care of the others. I smirk. I know he would be just fine. But in case, I hold up my thumb and he responses by holding his up. Telling me he is fine. So I go to my group. I don't have friends and I'm fine with that. All these girls are stupid or just weird. So I hang back in the far back as I look around for the man that is supposed to be here to support his son. But I don't see him. My idea of him dying from the alcohol seems very likely now. I smirk at the thought, but it drops as I see and smell the man walking through the crowd of people that couldn't care less about the kids going in. I bet the jerk is betting on his son. Soon the 'ceremony' starts.

Mayor Undersea looks older each year in the same outfit. I see our one of our victors sitting on the stage sitting next the very red Escort, Effie. She is in a tight red dress and red hair. Peeta looks at her as if she's normal. I guess he has gotten uses to her. The mayor reads the Treat of Treason, as normal, then hands the rains to Effie and her nasally voice.

"Hello everyone and welcome to the Seventy-sixth annual Hunger Games." Her voice is annoying as it seems to bounce with excitement. Then the very red excort walks over to the girl's ball and runs her fingers over the many slips of paper in the bowl. God I want this to be over already. She grabs a slip and pulls it out. The smile on her face is very strange as she walks over to the microphone. "And the female tribute this year will be…" She opens the slip and reads it to herself. There is a loud crash that covers up the name she says. Effie fixes her hair and says the name again with the same result. A loud crash. Whatever is going on, it's annoying Effie and I. "Well that is very odd." She says after the third time of trying. Effie smiles again, fixes herself and tries again. "Anyway, this year's female tribute is Camellia Iris." I hear the name and first thing I do is let out and huge sigh as the girls look around for me. Most of them didn't even know I existed. That's fine, that's how I like it. I walk through the confused group of girls near me and walk to the middle open isle. My face is blank. If I have to be honest with myself, I would say I'm not afraid right now. Over the years I have train my emotions so this just seems natural. I guess I don't feel anything right now. I know I will in a moment when I am taken into the room to talk Col. Four Peacekeepers surround me calmly as we walk to the stage. Col… I glance over at Col. He's is shocked and staring at me. I only nod at him. He won't volunteer. I taught him better than that. Plus he will be too scared to. I look forward and see the mayor's face harden because he knows my face from selling berries to him. Next I look at Peeta. My boss's son is now my boss, or mentor. However it looks like, I need to rely on a Mellark helping me in my future. I didn't really think it would be this one.

I get to the top of the steps and Effie smiles at me as she takes my hand and lead me to the microphone.

"Now the boys." I can tell she doesn't want anymore interruptions, so she is hurrying as fast as her little pinned legs can take her. I daze off into the empty sky above me and whisper goodbye to home. "This year's male tribute will be…" I can hear her little white gloved fingers open the paper. "Sage Teasel." I know that name. He is one of the town's jocks and popular kids. He only has his name in seven times. His family is blessed with more money. Well, I guess there is two eighteen year olds from district twelve. This time there are cries and shouting in protest as he walks up to the stage. I don't care. I just continue staring into my sky. It's rare when we have a clear day like this. I hope it doesn't rain. That will make this day dreadful... Sage gets to the stage and Effie says something that I don't hear or really care to. From my left I hear a step, I glance over there and I see our other victor finally joining us, reeking just like the man I live with or did. I turn my head over at him which makes everyone else follow. This man always has to make an entrance. This time he walks over to where his chair is. Just to trips on his feet and land on his face. Effie can only cover her face in shame as I see Sage's hand reach out. Oh, I should shake his hand now, shouldn't I? I take his hand and shake it. As this happens the man on the ground stands up with the help of the much younger and wiser Victor and helped inside. That's when Effie places her hands on both of our backs and guides us into the Justice Building. She just wants to get this over with. Peacekeepers come and take over from there. But, before I can get into my room I see the two Victors being scolded by the angry escort. I smirk as I am shoved into the room. Before the door slams shut I wave the male peacekeeper over.

"I will kill Mr. Iris if he comes in." I warn him. He looks at me warily and leaves the room. That's taken care of, so I hop on the small but soft couch and wait for Gale. Sure enough, the tall coal man is the first to see me.

"You had one day left! And what do they do? Reap you!" He shouts. I roll my eyes.

"Dude not here." I deadpan as I lie on the couch and look up at the ceiling. There are a lot of dots.

"Lia, they can't do this." He shouts.

"You can always take my brother out. He's strong. He can handle it." I tell him like it's normal. I'm starting to feel the worry when I talk about my brother. "Remember what you said we will do if this happens? We do that."

"But you will die in there." Gale tells me more calmly.

"So better than living with Drunken nightly. You can train Col and he can help you get more food and live with you guys, just like you planned. I already told the peacekeeper that Man isn't allowed in here." I tell him. The wall of calmness is going to break in three two… "Damn it Gale, get over here." I stand up and rest my head on his shoulder. He doesn't know what to say. "I'm trying to stay calm and you ruining it for me." I hiss out as I hold in my own anger. I'm not really mad at him. I'm mad at that man, Snow and everyone one else with the games, willingly. He shakes my head off and looks at me.

"You're trying hard to stay calm? You are the only one that can take a beating and then walk over to my house and play with Posy. I think you will be fine." Gale's words seem to comfort me a lot. His hand reaches into his pocket and he hands me something. "Posy wanted to give it back before the Reaping. She ended up sleeping in." I look at his hand and there is a little blue bell. My mother gave it to me on my first day of school. I didn't want to go and she told me the bell is just like me. Small and quiet and strong, I proved that last one when I tried ripping it into pieces after she died. I gave it to Posy her first day of school for the same reason, but it was on a blue ribbon. This is one and thick deep orange one. Orange… he drops is in my hand. "She thought it would match your dress. So she begged mom and I for months after the blue one broke." I straighten it out and put the small ribbon around my neck and tie it. It's too short to hang, but I don't think it would be smart if it was. It's a choker instead. That's good. I can't be choked with it.

"The Peacekeeper will be in here any second. So get out." I tell him. He only rolls his eyes and leaves me alone again. Soon Col comes in crying. "Hey bud."

"Your leaving me." He cries as I pet his hair.

"You will be fine. The Hawthornes will take care of you and Mr. Mellark loves you. You can bug him from time to time if you want." I tell the little boy. The rest of the three minutes are spent with him crying in my lap. I tell the peacekeeper to make sure he goes to the Hawthornes. Next is the traditional Mr. Mellark visit with the cookies. He smiles sadly at me.

"You were one of my decent workers." I smirk at his comment.

"I could never replace your son. But I'm glad of the lessons you two taught me." I admit as he hands me one of the two bags of cookies. I eye the bag. "You know what; I can have that bag for Sage. You know how he is around town and at school. I'm sure with all the girls and team members upset with him now that he won't miss the baker and his cookies." I say in the most innocent way possible. Mr. Mellark thinks and then… smirks back at me.

"Your right. I do think I remember him telling me my baking sucked." He says slightly.

"We all know it was my first batch, but let's go with that." I reply to him. He pats my head and his time is up. I'm left in my room to do nothing as I listen to the loud crowd outside Sage's room. Rolling my eyes, I lie back down on the couch and count the dots on the ceiling.


	3. Train

**Sorry for the wait. Here is the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games.**

**Chapter 3: Train. **

One thousand, one thousand one… The door opens. One thousand two.

"You seem calm." The male peacekeeper says at the door. I sit up and nod my head.

"I was counting the dots on the ceiling." I say quietly as I point up. "One thousand and two at the beginning of the last tile."

"Really, I won't be able to count that high in a half hour." He says as he looks up as the ceiling. I shrug my shoulders. I know him from the Hob. He is pretty cool. But here he is in charge, not the girl with the turkey leg. "Sorry, you will be missed." He says after a second. I nod and stand up.

"Shall we?" I ask calmly as I walk over to him. He firmly grabs my shoulder gently and guides me to the other end of the building. He knows that force will not be needed. I'm quite as Sage and his peacekeeper approach us. He hasn't been crying either or at least for a while. I can see the small red line under his eye and the tip of his nose is red from rubbing. Some man… I keep my head forward. I know of him well. He is the tall blonde jock type that gets anything he wants and only worries about his homework not getting done. That means he won't be able to be in the next game. What he plays, I really don't care to know. I can tell by how he is acting this is the first time his mommy and daddy couldn't do anything to get him out of something. I roll my eyes. If all of them are like this, I'm a shoe in to win. But I know that's not the case. I got the careers and the kids that are hiding things to worry about. Every tribute is hiding something. Even me.

"SO this is it."Sage says in his maturing voice. I remember him pulling on my pig tail and then crying with his high pitched voice because I hit him in the gut for it. I nod and keep looking ahead. "We in it together?" he asks. I don't know what to say. I hold up one finger to tell him to wait.

He nods and he doesn't speak for the rest of the long hallway. For that I am glad. I don't like talking to him one bit. We get to the doors and Effie is on the other side smiling. I don't smile back as Sage and I get hit with flashes of cameras. Now I'm glad no one can see the bruise. Rolling my shoulders back and walking emotionless onto the platform with Effie, I nod at her as the cameras flash and record my every movement and reaction. Sage comes out a second later, timid as he stays close to my side. He manages to get himself on the train just fine. When the doors close I take a deep breath.

"I am so glad you two can experience this form of living, even if it's for a short while." Effie announces in her nasally Capitol accent. Can't you just shut up? "Your lives will be forever changed by this moment right here." She adds as she leads us into the dining car. Of course, twenty three of us are going to die. I'm startled a bit when the doors open fast and by themselves. Sage is too. He jumps and after his shock is over he laughs.

"I knew that was going to happen." He lies as a blush creeps up onto his face. I look at the door closely and step away from it and it shuts. I walk forward and it opens again just as fast. Nodding as I walk through the door I hear Effie sigh. She wants to continue and we are taking up her time with this stupid thing. Behind me, Sage is still freaked out. I turn around reach my hand through the open door, grab the collar of his shirt and pull him through the door and into the next car.

"Thank you, Ms. Iris. Now continuing on, this is the Dining car. We will eat three meals here before reaching the Capitol." She says as waves her hand at the bare table. I look around the room. It's very unusually to me. There are crystals hanging from the ceiling. The chairs and table are a deep colored wood I have never seen before. Next to both of us is a group of chairs, four on each side. Why do you need more chairs in the dining car? "On the next car is the bar car. Haymitch stays in there with Peeta most of the time; we even had to move the TV from this room in there for them. And the car after that is your room car." Effie adds with her nasal voice as I look around. "That's about it. I'm sure you two are dying to meet both of them." She claps her hands together and sighs with content and it brings my eyes to her. I watch as she turns her little red head around and to the other door. Before moving, I grip Sage's shoulder and pull him forward. From here I push him to the door. He stumbles into the room and I follow behind him at a safe distance.

This car is as she said, the bar car. I keep my mouth shut as I look around. On the two corners closest to me is where all the alcohol is stored. Looking down is a group of chairs and a flat screen on the right side of the train car. I see both of our Victors sitting down next to each other. The older one, the one that came late, has long light brown hair that hangs in his face as he drinks from his crystal glass. His clothes are different from earlier today. He must have puked all over himself. The man I lived with did that a lot… Next to him is my boss's son. He hasn't changes much from going to school with him. He is taller and much more muscular though. His hair is light blond and still kind of shaggy, will need a cut soon. He is dressed in a white pair of pants and a blue button up shirt. Sage stands in front of me, almost hiding me, as he shakes. The male tribute holds out his hand and Peeta grips it with a frown.

"Sorry about this, we will try our best to get you ready." Peeta says in the tone I'm used too. The words seem to calm him down quite a bit. I roll my eyes at how he gets relaxed by the teddy bear's words. As if the little teddy bear can hurt him. Sage lets go of his hand and sits in the first chair around, which is right behind me. I watch as I see him backing up so I slip out of the way and let him sit. Rolling my eyes I move to stand next to Effie who is starting to yell.

"Sage uses your manners. You almost sat on Camellia." I back up into the bar counter on the left side of the car, right next to Haymitch. Sage looks around for me and I roll my eyes again.

"Sorry, I didn't see her." He says while he looks. "Where did she go?" I hold my hand up and wave it from behind Effie. "Oh Sorry." Sage says as Effie sides step to reveal me.

"I didn't even see you go behind me darling." She comments as she pats my shoulder. I put my hand down and use it, with the other one to push myself up and on the counter. I see Peeta and Haymitch look at each other with a strange look as I settle myself onto the counter top.

"So are we going to be friends?" Sage asks. I just stare at him with a horrific look in my face. My only friend is Gale. I don't want someone as mean as him as my friend. I shake my head no and don't say anything as I look at the floor.

"You can't make friends in the games." Peeta tells the stunned boy. "I think the word you are looking for is ally. But it might be a little too soon to decide without seeing each other's strengths." I watch the discussion move to what his strengths are. If pride was a talent or a strength, that would be his strongest one. For a while he brags about his sport.

"Peeta, don't you remember. I used to wrestle with you when you where in school. I'm super strong. I can take anyone that comes at me." I roll my eyes at that comment. He and I got into it once three years ago. I won that one quickly. Sage is really full of himself. Haymitch sips his drink as he watches me intently out of the corner of his eye. I'm starting to get crept out.

"Yeah, I'm remembering. But two years can be a long time, Sage." Peeta says. I notice the hint of hurt in his eyes as he says this. I don't blame him. The boss's son has been through a lot.

"No it's not." Sage says with no more fear. He loves talking about himself. I see the pang in Peeta's heart. "There is no reason for you to forget me." I'm tired of this crap. He is also getting one of the people trying to help us upset and the other annoyed. So I look over at the vast amount of bad smelling liquid. Leaning across the top of the bar, I reach my hand out and pick up a full bottle of… something. Returning to my normal position, I start to examine the bottle. Must be liquor, the bottle looks close to the type at the Hob. Sage is talking on and on about the last two years and I got to do something to get him to stop. I open the bottle and he keeps talking. So I hold the bottle high in the air and drop it over the sink. As is drops, the liquor in the bottle leaves in a straight line from the bottle. I smirk; this is the best way this liquor can be used for. The bottle makes contact with the deep metal sink and shatters with the liquor that land nicely in the sink. There is only a little splash, and it all gets on me.

That gets everyone's attention away from the kid and onto me and I instantly regret it. My eyes widen at the sudden shift in the room. Effie screams and jumps in the air about two feet. Her scream hurts my ears. Sage jumps too and covers his head, thinking glass is going to fly at him. No, the only bit of glass that comes out of the sink landed on me. Peeta and Haymitch don't react.

"Nice trick, now reverse it. I was going to drink that bottle next." Haymitch says for the first time as Peeta stand up and walks over to me. His big warm hands rest on my shoulders.

"Are you ok? You have glass everywhere." He asks worried. I nod start to wipe the glass off of my legs and arms. There are some little cuts, but I'm uses to them.

"Of course she fine. I'm the one that could have had a heart attack." Effie whines. Peeta pats my shoulders and makes his way to Effie to take care of her.

"You're old as dirt and stressed all the time. I'm surprised you haven't had one yet." Haymitch slurs out as his sips the rest of his drink. He smirks at me and give me a thumbs up and I don't know what to think of that. I just push myself off the counter and walk over to the empty seat next to Sage.

"There is nothing wrong with me being punctual and for using my wisdom. You are older than me." She snaps back politely. It's entertaining when I get to watch new people.

"But I'm relaxed most of the time. Ef, loosen your corset." Haymitch says as he picks up the bottle next to him. He pours the remaining drink in the bottle and set the bottle back down. She scoffs and storms out of the car to the room cars. Peeta just shrugs his shoulders and leans on the counter. I can tell he is used to her now.

"Now that you get to see one of Effie's many melt downs, we should talk how we should act in the Capitol." I watch as he points to the sink with the glass. "Loud sounds scare them easily. They like to pride themselves in their manners. So use them, please, around anyone from the Capitol." His words are kind. Haymitch though… not so much.

"Or you can and we can watch the red fluff ball freak out again." He smirks while Peeta leans his head to the side.

"Or that. It's your choose really. But Effie is a really nice woman. Please don't scare her… too much." The younger one out of the victors tells me more than Sage. "If you use you manners, you will be fine, now let's continue on. Camellia what are your strengths?" My eyes widen again as I get stared at by the two men in the room. Peeta knows my strengths. I shouldn't have to tell them. The room is completely silent as they wait for me to speak. I'm not going to. He smiles gently. "We can discuss it with Sage not in the room."

"It's not me!" he protests with his hands in the air gesturing at me. "She just never talks. She is like super shy or something." I glare at him with daggers and Haymitch laughs.

"If you can win the games with looks, she might stand a chance against two and one." He comments in the mist of his mocking laughter. Peeta sighs hopelessly. He knows I'm shy, but he also knows I talk.

"Sadly that won't work. If it did the last two games would have gone to eleven and eight." Peeta says sadly as he walks over to his seat, which just happens to be across from mine. He holds his hands out so I can put mine on his. I don't, I keep them under my legs. "Haymitch and I are here to help as much as we can. You have to trust both of us." Peeta says as he pulls his hands back. "But we can talk about that later. We have a reaping to watch." He moves his hand to the side table in between him and Haymitch's chair where the remote is. He clicks the TV on and it is right at actual reaping part of district one. The glamour and riches district. I hold in a sound of disgusted, but can't stop myself from looking the part. Same each year, two blonds volunteer that have trained all their life for this moment. They both walk on stage with the same innocent smile. Stunning and graceful, but don't let that fool you. They are very deadly.

"OH my God. They get hotter each year." I roll my eyes at Sage's pig comment. He is right though, from what I noticed, One fights their battles with deception. Acting all pretty and innocent and in the games is when they cling to Two and fight with them. That's how they won two years ago. I shake my head at his stupidly. Out of the corner of my eye and see both of the victors do the same. The sixteen year old girl's name is Clear, it's clear she is acting. The boy's name is Flash, real original. Both of them are tall and healthy. Something to expect from One to Four. Soon this one is over with. I take any many notes as I can on the brief seconds I get to see each tribute that I will have to face. They look like they could be twins. But why would they both volunteer during the same year.

The tributes from two volunteer as well. The girl is around fourteen with short dark brown hair. It has been trimmed and styled to make the short hair that ends at her chin look like spikes. Her brown eyes look freighting. Something isn't right with this girl. Her name is Scoria. Her partner is Victor. I just know his parents expect him to win and he can very easily do it to. Victor isn't so tall, but he looks big anyway. His shoulders are broad and his face is sharp. Just looking at him tells me to stay away from him. Run! But I won't do that. I will be killed by him. I know it. He has the same color hair as the girl, but short like my brother… His eyes though are different they look completely black to me. That's not a good sigh. A chill runs through my body as I think how is going to kill me.

I'm glad when Three doesn't give me the same feeling. Both tributes are from the poorer side and are small, but size shouldn't count you out. They are most likely smart. The twelve year old girl has black hair and blue eyes. Her name is Qwerty. Simple and strange, but that fits the district I guess. Her partner is taller and has brown hair. His name is Voltage, again fitting.

Next is four. Tall, strong and beautiful like the other careers. The girl is seventeen and has a perfect body, tan too. That comes from being in the sun all day. She knows she is hot by how she acts and dresses. Her long dirty blond hair is pulled back into a bun, but the pieces that didn't make it in flow with the wind. Her eyes are a bright hazel color. She will be hard to out run with those long legs. Her name is Oceana. The male tribute isn't blessed with looks as she is. His blond hair and blue eyes are fine and normal for Four, but his light skin and baby face shows how young he is, thirteen. He won't be a problem running from.

I sit here memorizing everyone's face and rank them on my every changing scale in my head. It's to see who will be the most threatening to me. I do it every year to predict the winner with my brother. This year, I guess I'm using to see my chances. Not working out well without seeing them in real life. The show closes with Twelve, as normal. I watch my face remain calm and uncaring as I walk on the stage. My face looks like stone. Is this what I look like normally? I can see too little tint of yellow and green on my cheek from the healing bruise. Sage's name is called and it looks like I don't care about him, or anyone. The sky is more interesting than his life it looks like. As soon as the doors closes with us on the other side, there is a loud single cheer from the crowd. I will never forget that voice. My body tenses at the sickening sound and I bite my lip hard as I glare at the TV. It takes everything in me not to get out and punch the screen in front of me. A low growl comes from my throat that is barely audible, but in the quiet room, the ones with training hearing can hear it. Then the camera just has to pan over to show the man's face.

"That's your father, Camellia." Sage says with a smile. Then he thinks. "Why are they showing your father?" I only get louder and he stops. I know he has heard it. The man is drunk as a snuck. He should have died. My body shakes harder now for my hatred for the man. When the TV turns off I snap out of my trance. I hope and pray the man is found dead…

"That is your fellow tributes." Peeta announces as I stop my growling. I turn and look at him as if nothing happens. "Any ideas?"

"Kill them all." Sage says confidently. He will die soon in the games if I don't help him.

"That's the idea." Haymitch says as grabs another bottle. "Anything to add, Chatter box?" He is looking at me. I look into his eyes and search for something. His point. "Thought so. Go to bed, it's late and I can't stand looking at your ugly faces." He is more joking. I can tell by the look in his eye. There is something else. He is testing us. I don't move as Sage jumps up and leaves that room fast. He is too nervous around them.

"Night. See you tomorrow." He says as the door shuts. We weren't even shown our rooms yet. What is he going to do now? Find a room to sleep in? Peeta covers his face with his hand as Haymitch laughs.

"Stupid and jumpy kid, isn't he?" He chuckles as he picks the smelliest drink. I roll my eyes and nod in agreement. "You don't talk much, don'cha kid?" I look him deep in the eye and try to find his point. He looks away and waves his hand in front of his face. "Stop doing that, Brat. It's creepy as hell." Peeta starts to laugh now. I smirk.

"Haymitch, you probably creep her out too." He jokes. The drunk puts his nose in the air.

"You to bud. You were creeping her out when you grabbed her shoulders earlier." Peeta just glares at him.

"I wasn't. I was trying to see if she is ok." Peeta says.

"Sure or just being weird." Haymitch says as he sits back down. They are close. I can see that. Without Peeta, Haymitch would be more of an ass. And without Haymitch, Peeta won't be alive and as stable as he has become. They are polar opposites, but fit perfectly.

"She knows I was checking on her and nothing more." Peeta looks at me and wants me to say something. I nod as I look into his caring eyes. "See. She knew." He holds hand at me to prove his point.

"Look, straight from the horse's mouth." Haymitch says sarcastically. Then he looks at me dead in the eye. "Go to bed, I don't want to deal with you." What is he trying to test? I stay put. I don't even move my gaze from his cloudy drunk eyes. We stay like that for awhile. I won't let this drunk think he's better than me. I won't let the Man do it. Why would I let a Victor? "Challenging me, Huh?" he smirks. "I bet you can't even hold your own against this fat boy here." He slaps Peeta's gut. He isn't fat at all jerk!

"Haymitch stop, you proved your point." He says. Haymitch covers Peeta's mouth and talks more.

"Come on, you want to prove me wrong. Do it. Peeta won't fight back." I stare hard into his eyes. There is something there. It's not hurt, I see that. What is he hiding? I only see him during the reaping and in the Hob buying white liquor. Don't get much time to watch him. My eyes start to go dry and they beg for me to blink. I don't give them that as we stare off. Gale told me you never make eye contact with an animal for long. It's a sign of challenging. He drinks straight from the bottle and breaks contact with me. I blink as he drinks. Haymitch removes his hand from Peeta's mouth soon after.

"Go to bed. Haymitch is done." I nod and stand up and look at him. "What?" I look the door and then at him. "Effie forgot to tell you about your room." Peeta chuckles. "It's simple. The door that says female." I nod and walk out of the room. Haymitch is a mystery and I want to find out more. I get into the car and it's a narrow hallway to one end of the car. I find my room and the doors open instantly. The room is pretty large for a train, I guess. There is a bed and a dresser. In the left corner is a door to the bathroom. Why is there a dresser? I walk over and pull on drawer out. And sure enough, there are clothes. Nice I guess. I pull out a change of underwear and look for a night gown. I find a light pink, almost white one. So I put both of them on and lay down.

This bed is some soft. I fall asleep instantly.

000

I am woken up to heels hitting the wood floor in the hall. They stop as they reach my door. Then there is a loud knock.

"Up, up, up, it's going to be a Big, big, big day!" that voice is the last voice I want to hear in the morning. Shout one more time and heads are going to roll. Slowly I roll out of bed and head into the bathroom to check it out. It's bright as hell in here and I'm blinded. I find the sink after my eyes adjust and wash my face. Next to the sink is a soft towel that I use on my face. I set the towel down and blink. There is a mirror reflecting my face. It's the same face I saw on the TV last night. The yellow and green is still there. Great. It seems more relaxed right now than on the screen. Am I really a serious looking person? Is that why people leave me alone, most of the time? I walk out of the bathroom and groan as I find new clothes to wear for today. I pull out a bra that looks like it will fit and clean underwear. There is a small closet that I explore. The Capitol is rich if they can afford clothes like this. I reach out and grab a pair of black jeans. They are brand new. I will wear that. There are a lot of clothes in here for only three days. No one can wear this amount. I grab a sky blue pretty short sleeve shirt that has a white vest type thing over it. I have no idea what it is, but it's pretty. So I put them on. The jeans are not like my pair at home. These are really narrow. But oh well. It's Capitol stuff. I smirk. Gale will freak if he saw my in this. I pull my long hair out of its braid run my fingers through it. Another morning without my father, this shall be good. I wonder how Col likes waking up in the Hawthorne house with though Gale?

I leave my room and walk down the small hall into the Bar car. No one is in here, Breakfast time I guess. I walk through the car fast and even before the door opens, I am hit with the rich smell. The door opens and everyone is eating at the table. I walk in and take the remaining seat next to Effie. She smiles at me.

"Good morning. Looks like we got tributes that can dress themselves." She is pleased because I can put clothes on? Or is it I put things together that should go together. Sage is crossed from me. He holds out his fist for me to pound it with mine. I don't. All I do is stare at it.

"You pound it. I'm congratulating you." I look away from his fist and at the food. There is a lot here. I never seen this much food. Meat of all kind, Fruit of different sizes, bread and lots of it. So much for me, I can't even think. My stomach growls, I don't remember the last time I ate something. "Come on, don't leave me hanging." He whines. I move my eyes to his and sigh. My hand reaches up and I point one little finger out and have it poke his fist. "What was that?" he whines more. I glare at him and shake my head no. Meanwhile, Peeta and Haymitch are trying not to laugh. Sage moves his hand and starts eating again. I stare at the fruit in front of me. It's strawberries. I normally eat one when I'm picking them. It reminds me of home and hunting with Gale.

"Those are strawberries. Try one." Effie says as she blots her lips with a napkin. I shake my head no and start adding to my plate with other things. Pig meat, that I am told is bacon, I take one of those. Then a small orange and a piece of toast. I eat the things I know of first. Then I adventure out the more, less known. But I still don't eat much. I do drink plenty of water though. I'm the first one done so I look around the room now. There is light talk between Peeta, Effie, and Sage, but I don't care. Nothing important is being talked about. I notice Haymitch has run out of drink from his tin. He is past drunk.

"Damn it." He cusses. No one pays attention to him. I do though. So far I have seen him drink three bottles dry. "I got to get more." He whines as he stands up and walks out of the room.

Soon breakfast is over and Effie leaves us with Peeta and Haymitch in the Bar car. I can't get over the thought of how much he has drunken. I'm glad Peeta is here to help because we would die in the blood bath with him. Sage and he talk about random questions. He is getting past annoying.

"So how is the first day?" Sage ask. I will ask the more meaningful ones after he is done. It's important. I don't want him to die on the first day. Not even with the crap he has done to me or others.

"Everything is crazy. Running from the blood bath is your best bet. Run and find water." Peeta tells him.

"Water is your friend not, her." Haymitch points to me. "A river will be better conversation too."

"All they do is babble." Peeta jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up, now. Your voices are giving me a head ache." Haymitch shuts the two boys out. That isn't right. This is Sage's life here. He just shrugs his shoulders and he walks into the dining car. Peeta tells him he is coming and is slowly making his way to the door. I react without thinking as he tilts the little tin back again. My hand reaches into the drawer on the side table and I find a case and a knife. I pick the knife up by the handle and throw it smoothly at the thin tin. It stabs it and takes it out of his hands and it flies. The knife gets embedded deep into the wall as I glare at him with anger running through my veins.

"That is his life. If he wants to ask stupid questions right now, let him." My voice is a low and threatening. Haymitch just looks at me stunned as Peeta presses his lips together. He knows me well. He must have known I would have snapped sooner or later. "You lived through your Games. You have problems now. But don't take it out on him." I am done with his crap. I walk passed Peeta and to the door. "I was going to ask the more meaningful questions when he was done." I hear Haymitch talk after the door shuts.

"She speaks." He starts to clap. "What's her problem anyway?" I hear Peeta sigh.

"Her father's a drunk and beats her all the time and she only speaks when it is needed or to someone she trusts." He tells him in a low and shameful voice. It's not his fault. Peeta did what he could. I sigh and shake my head before walking over to the stupid kid sitting at the table.

"You're here to join me and Peeta?" he asks cheerfully. I nod. "Good, I really don't think we are going to get much help from Haymitch." Sage tells me. I just sit down next to him and stare at the floor until Peeta is done explaining my life story to the drunk in the other room. That is the last thing I tell Haymitch on the train, or to anyone.


	4. The Chariots Await

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. **

**Chapter 4: The Chariots Await. **

We are almost to the Capitol. Sitting in the bar car again. Sage is silent for the first time. I stare out the window as the tall mountains where the Capitol lays within. This is it, we are almost here. Haymitch and Peeta are talking to Sage and I, telling us what to except.

"I need you to do everything you two are asked. No matter what." Haymitch says.

"I know both stylists, they won't throw you out there naked." Peeta adds. I hear Sage laugh.

"I wouldn't care either way." He says smugly. I reach my hand over to his mouth and make him shut it. Peeta and Haymitch chuckles.

"People will go blind from your ugliness." Haymitch retorts. I smirk as Sage tries to protest, but can't. He licks my hand and bites it. I don't move. "Keep biting, it won't work with her, Stupid." That is Haymitch's nickname for him. It is perfect for him. Peeta looks at me and tells me without words to remove my hand from his face. I do without complaint, then room suddenly goes dark and Sage screams. So I smack him, hard.

"That hurts." He whines. I only roll my eyes look out the window. Soon light fills the train again and the colors are beautiful. Reds, blues, greens, any color you name it, and it's only these people. It's kind of like a zoo. I look at the group. Some wave at me and I feel my cheeks grow hot as I wave back shyly. I don't know what's gotten over me. But I feel like I should wave. When I can't handle the faces looking at me, I turn around and duck out of view. Haymitch and Peeta are chuckling at something. Is it me?

Sage and I are taken to the Remake center. Where I am taken to a room and striped. I get nervous. Haymitch and Peeta's advice rings through my head as the strange colorful people wash me down and start ripping out every little hair on my body, PAINFUL. There are three people, two women and one male that I think he might think he is a female with how much purple lipstick he puts on. His hair is a deep orange like my ribbon.

"I love the color of your choker." He comments in his formal Capitol accent as he plays with my hair. I only look to the ground as I sit on the chair naked. The other two women are different from each other. One is tall and skinny with blue hair and gold tattoos around her eyes. This is very weird. She moves quickly as she rips the hair off my legs.

"We need to make sure Twelve gets waxing supplies." She groans to her plump friend… who is green. Why is this woman green and not being seen by a doctor? Capitol people are out there. She is also the heaviest people I have ever seen. She must work hard for the money to afford it. The green lady is cleaning my nails.

"Yes we do." The plump woman says. She looks at me and smiles. "And manicure supplies." She adds with a 'tisk' sound. "Doesn't she look like Katniss?" The others stop their work and stare at me.

"Kind of. They all look the same. But she has more of a round thin face. Katniss had a narrow face and was a lot taller and muscular." The tall woman comes as she rips more of my hair off with the small paper.

"She had more coarse hair than this new one does. Her hair is smooth. She isn't from the same family, Octavia." The one with the deep purple lipstick says as he smacks his lips. The rest of the time is spent talking about who they think will win. It's kind of sad that they think I wouldn't care or make it. It's bad. When I'm left in the room, I start to miss Col a lot. I don't even know how he is doing or anything. Is he learning to hunt with Gale? Soon I hear footsteps walk and stop at my door, so I wipe my face of any emotion quickly as the door opens to show a normal looking man with dark brown blackish hair and a soft face to look at, no wait he has gold eyeliner. This is strange. He walks in with a robe and hands it to me.

"Hello Camellia. My name is Cinna, I am your stylist." He doesn't have to annoy accent. I pull it on and wait for his instructions. Silently, he leads me into another room with the view of the sky over the Capitol. There is a simple set up in the room to chairs on either side of a table chest looking thing. I go to the window and the view is like something I have never since. "Beautiful isn't it?" I nod as he stands next to me. "Let's get something to eat as I explain what you will be wearing to win sponsors." I follow his guidance and sit in on of the chairs. As he sits, I watch him press a button on the table. The table opens up and relieves two plates of food. I smell the air, chicken. We eat and he starts to talk. "The last few years I have helped make a great impression for the sponsors by the Chariot's costumes. I have being sticking with coal the last two years. Portia and I were thinking it's time for more fire." I see him smirk. His eyes seem trusting so whatever he has plans, I'm going for it. "You both will be fire itself." I nod slowly as I set my fork down. Fire itself? How is he going to do that?

"What do you have in mind?" I ask quietly. "How are you going to do this?" His smirk turns into a smile when he hears my voice.

"I'm glad you ask." He says as he stands up and walks to the side of the room I am on. I watch as he presses something on the wall and a section comes out and on it is a pole with a bag hanging on it. Looking through the wall I see it's opens up into another room. Must be his designing room, or something. He takes the bag off and the wall goes back to normal. Cinna unzips the bag and I see black. "This is your suit, only your arms will have fire on them. With how the wind will be tonight, it will make you and Sage look like fire." I nod.

"Suit me up. But you will have to talk with Sage. He might piss his pants." I mock slightly. I finish eating and he helps me into the suit. It fit perfectly. Cinna then leads me back into the room and does my makeup. Simple but a lot of red sparkle and black eyeliner. He then takes me down to the bottom floor where my chariot and everyone else waits. I am one of the first ones done from. Cinna takes me to the back of the line where I need to be. I take a mental note of the male from two staring at me.

"She is up for it." Cinna tells the woman I don't know. Must be Portia. She was Peeta's stylist.

"Good." She says. She has the accent, so why doesn't Cinna. "I haven't told him."

"Tell me what?" Sage asks. I roll my eyes as I look around. The one from two is still staring at me. I move over to Haymitch and Peeta.

"Victor." I whisper to Haymitch. He looks over and nods.

"What are you going to do about it?" Haymitch asks. I look at Peeta for help and he doesn't give me anything. So I stand close to them and ignore him. He loses interest in me and smiles when Scoria joins him. They both seem to know each other very well. They even hold onto each other for a second longer than people normally do in twelve. I will store that for later… I feel better with standing next to Sage and Cinna again. So I move. Slowly the other tributes join us and they seem all tense. They might know that only one of us will be alive at the end of this month. They might not, most of them seem scared at the fact two tributes are naked or the fact they are going outside and have to make an impression. Either or I really can tell which ones are acting and the ones are not. I'm glad I'm not from four, they are the naked ones. I watch as the mentors for the rest of the districts now come out and talk with their tributes. "How are you two going to play this Game?" Sage smirks.

"Sexy." I making a puke motion and everyone laugh. "Mean." He whines hurt.

"You can't play that, stupid. You're too ugly. But you can pull off cocky and dinner." Haymitch smirks as the kid doesn't get it. He is more than stupid. Sage doesn't have a brain.

"I can play cocky." He smiles. Haymitch pats his red gel tipped hair and pushes him away from him.

"What will you play?" Haymitch asks me as he pushes him. I shrug my shoulders as I hear someone walking up to us. I can't see them because my back is turned from the rest of the room. So I have to rely on my hearing. Each step seems to be slightly heavy. Heavy steps must be a male. My body tenses as I listen to the male walk closer. Haymitch smirks again before looking at whoever is coming over.

"Dang, she seems like a challenge for my tributes." A male voice says. I smell salt coming from the man and I know he has to be from four. The tall man walks past me and over to Haymitch and Peeta. I finally see him. His hair is light brown and he seems strong. "How you two holding up?" He asks as his arms rest on both of their shoulders. His head in between theirs as he smirks. His teeth are white and perfectly straight. I know him, I know him very well. It's Finnick Odar and his famous smirk. He is a victor and I don't like him. He always seems cocky and rude. So I will have to watch him carefully.

"Don't be so sure. She seems pretty dull to me." Haymitch states in a very dry tone. I roll my eyes at him and hold up my middle finger.

"She doesn't to me." Finnick laughs. I turn away from the sight and look around to study my fellow tributes. Nothing new. "She seems like another Johanna." I roll my eyes at his comment. She is another victor. One that won by playing weak when in reality she wasn't. She is one of the meanest in my opinion.

"She's hot." Sage comments. I can't resist slapping him in the back of the head. "It's true." He says as I turn and look at him with a glare.

"Dud, looks like you pissed your girlfriend off." Finnick laughs. I peel my eyes from Sage's and look at him with disgust.

"She isn't my type." Sage acts like he is going to puke. "I like them loud." He comments. All I do is roll my eyes. Sage is a pig, just like the victor from four. Finnick laughs more and smiles seductively.

"So you're free." Finnick ask as he pushes my two lifelines out of his way with the smile playing on his lips. The tall man walks over to me and gets very close. He is so close that I can touch his chin with the top of my head, if I move a foot closer. He leans over and places his lips near my ear; I can still see his face. "How about you and me?" He whispers heavily into my ear. I feel the heat from his breath. It makes me feel weird. I think for a second if I should reply. I can say something so sly… but it will be pointless to say. But I will say it anyway.

"You have to wait; there are twenty three before you. And I most likely find one that I can just die for." I tell him with a bored tone. That's clever. I can tell he understood it when he chuckles into my ear softly. Again the warmth is beating on my neck and ear. He pulls his face back so I can look into his green eyes easier.

"Well what if none of them are to die for? Do I have a date with you?" He asks in a very husky, quiet voice. I look at his face carefully. His eyes are very conflicted, just like Peeta and Haymitch's. It most likely is a victor thing. There is something else, not sure if it's mischievous or enjoying himself. But there isn't any ill motive that I can see. Plus, I won't live through the games.

"Sure, if none of them are a dead ringer, you and I will do something." I whisper to him. His eyes seem to smile now.

"Can I get a promise?" Finnick's normal smirk is back. I'm not going to live, so why not.

"Sure, Finnick." I answer. I won't be alive to fulfill it.

"Good, I will be waiting." He says as he stands up tall again. I watch as he takes my hand and kisses it. "It will be a date you will never forget Ms. Iris." Finnick whispers to me as he lets go of me hand and walks off. I try not to puke from his closeness. There are a lot of eyes on me, and most of them are from people between the age of twelve and eighteen. From what they could see I just had Finnick Odar in my face and he was smirking, then he kissed my hand. So that just made me a target or desired. I look at Haymitch and Peeta. They are looking at me the same way I'm looking at them, confused. But their looks look fake. Sage seems dumber than normal. Then Cinna and Portia both laugh as Cinna pats my back.

"Let's get you two ready. The first chariot is prepping to leave." I nod and Sage and I get on our Chariot. We settle there and wait for the other to start moving. As they do, Cinna pulls out a small lighter and lights Sage first. I grab his lit arm at the elbow tightly before he can freak out. He stares in awe at the fact I'm not burning. Cinna lights me and I breath in the flame. It is warm, as I expected. Letting go of Sage's arm, I hold my hands nicely in front of me.

"You two need to make an impression. Make the crowd love you." Peeta says as he brushes some hair out of my face.

"That will be hard for the mute." Haymitch smirks. I hold my middle finger up at him and cover it with my other hand so only he and Peeta can see it.

"No, you're not my type." He says as the horses start to move. I give a low growl as Sage and I are pulled away from them.

"Camellia, knock it off." Peeta says right before we get out of ear shot. I nod and return to the first position I had. It's dark and windy outside… and loud. I can see the small banners that show the tributes' faces one at a time. This is it, the games are starting. I can see the small glow coming off of us as it barely lights around us. Our chariot leaves the building and the crowd gets louder. Sage starts waving and smiling at everyone. All eyes are on us and I can feel each and every one of them. Even with the warmth from my fire, I get a small chill. I keep my head forward and stay still. Not moving as I get hit with both the chilling wind and the chilling eyes. These people are cheering for us. They can't wait until we are in the arena this year and killing each other senseless. I can hear Gale yelling at the TV. Telling everyone how sick they are for wanting all of his hunting partners dead. Even though he didn't care much for me, I think he felt a little better with me going along the past few years.

Sage waves and smiles brightly at the crowd. He is uses to the cheering. I am not. As he waves, his fire shines on his face and the sparkles he has on glow brightly and makes the light go farther.

"Keep moving. You won't be so cold." Sage whispers to me. I'm not cold. I'm use to it from falling asleep in one of my trees at home and waking up to find snow on me. That happened many times, so the cold doesn't bother me much. I'm staying still because of the eyes. The wind blows the other way now, from Sage's side and his fire goes out. I feel much more warmth around me; it spreads across my body like water does when it rains. I shut my eyes for a moment to let the heat sink in. I open them and there is a light haze around my eyes. It's blue… The crowd stops cheering for a moment and I feel more eyes on me. "Look up." Sage says as the crowd begins to cry in excitement. I move my eyes to the floating banners and my jaw threatens to drop. I'm on fire, not just my arms but my entire body is covered in blue. Blue is the hottest color for fire. It covers me like a blanket; even my hair starts to move with the dancing flame. I start breathing again and the fire follows me. The sparkles he placed on my face seem to glow blue now. Did he plan this? I don't know. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something red and green flying at me. I reach my hand out at the right second and catch it without having my eyes leave myself on the screen. The crowd gets louder at this. I look down at what I caught with no effort and smile a small smile. It is a rose. I bring it to my nose and smell the scent. I turn in the direction it came from and nodded my head to whoever through it to me. They must have a good arm.

We arrive last to the city center. Right in front of us is President Snow on the stage. He holds his hands up and lowers them slowly. At the rate of his hands, the crowd hushes. Wow he has some power of these people.

"Tributes, The Capitol will like to welcome you to the Seventy-sixth Hunger Games." He greets in his accent. I get a sickening feeling as he looks at me and smiles. "It is an honor to be able to part take in the most memorial event of the year that last in our hearts and minds all year round." He says as if we are glad to be here. The speech continues as it gets darker and darker. The rich blue only burns brighter and brighter. Soon Snow is talking to me. Well not me directly, but glancing at me every so often. I notice he doesn't look anyone else in the eyes like mine. "You represent your districts getting together of a single goal. You all work together to achieve that one goal." He says as he moves his eyes to look at mine. "Again, Welcome to the Hunger Games, Tributes. May the odds be ever in your favor." The door to the Training Center open up and one by one, the horses pull their chariots into the doors. When ours start to move, Snow smiles. Only thing I can do is nod back and look to the destination of the chariots. My spine is crawling now.

The chariot stops and the doors close. Portia helps Sage out, but I don't want to move. Cinna holds his hand out in front of me and I turn and look at him. He is smiling. I grab his hand and he lets me down. As I step off, he holds something small in his other hand to my arm. The fire disappears and leaves me in my black jumpsuit.

"That was a great impression." He tells me. I look at him confused and he chuckles. "No, I didn't plan for his fire to merge with yours. Things just happen that way." I nod slowly as Peeta and Haymitch join us.

"Effie is in the penthouse already waiting for us." Peeta says as he pushes Haymitch back.

"The damn fire is out." Haymitch complains. When Cinna and Portia laugh, I know I missed something.

"So, you can still get caught on fire with the lighter Cinna has." Peeta jokes. I feel eyes on me again. I turn my head as see it's the Careers that are staring at me. I give a small smile and nod to tell them I noticed. Haymitch and Peeta sees what I'm doing and at whom I am waving too. For some reason, Peeta walks over and stands in the way of both of our views of each other. He pats my back so he doesn't look obvious. "You two did great. Now let's go to our floor." I can hear he is straining his voice. He's concerned. Peeta pushes me gently to the elevator on the far wall. Haymitch flanks my other side and drags Sage. He is whining that he can't talk to the female careers from one and four. We get in the elevator and no one talks. I have never been in one before. This is really strange to me.

We get to our floor and everyone leaves the lifting floor thingy. Effie greets both Sage and I with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I loved it. You two are great with the crowd. But Camellia, you need to be more outgoing and Sage why did you let your fire go out?" Effie informs us as if her critic is important. Sages starts to explain and Haymitch cuts them off.

"Go show him his room, Effie. I don't want to hear either of your voices." Haymitch whines before rubbing his temples. Effie scoffs and takes Sage away. I take the time to look around the large room. It's very weirdly fancy with how it's set up. It's open in here, I can tell you that. There is only a dining room and a sitting room with another flat screen TV for watching the results of the pre games. Then to the left side there is a hallway where Effie is taking Sage to. Once they leave our eyes and ear shot Haymitch yanks me over to one of the couches in the sitting room and has me sit down. With him, follows Peeta. Cinna and Portia must have left to follow Effie or something. They aren't here.

"What are you going to do?" Haymitch spits out. I look at him confused as he stands over me. Peeta takes a seat next to me as the drunk folds his arms across his chest as he towers over me.

"He means are you going to try and form an alliance with the Careers?" Peeta says calmly to me as he rests a hand on my shoulder. I look at him confused. An alliance with the Careers? Can I really do that? Peeta is the only one that really worked with Careers that wasn't from a health and thriving district. Slowly, I shrug my shoulders.

"Then why are you looking at them and smiling at them?" Haymitch deadpans. He is really freaking me out.

"They were looking." I shrug my shoulders as I readjust on my seat. Sitting here with both of them like this is getting uncomfortable.

"Well, that's what they do. Look and study the other tributes. Alliances form before the games start. They were looking at you to see if you are even worthy to be with them." The older victor states. I raise my eye brow at him. This is all new to me.

"I'm not."This doesn't make since. I haven't proven anything yet.

"Katniss was a threat to them." Peeta tells me quietly as he rests his other hand on my knee. I can tell he is going to be himself as he mentors me. I had wondered if he flipped his personality for the games. "They told me to find her and they will let me live longer." Peeta explains as if it doesn't bother him. It's merely a fact. "You look a lot like her." He says after a moment. I'm lost.

"No I don't." I protest as I move his hand off of my knee.

"I know, but being from the Seam. They don't know that." He tells me in a sad voice. Peeta being sad is something I can't take. He was so upset after he got back. It took forever for him to come down to the bakery during his bouts of depression during the first year after the games. I can't help but pull him over and hug him tight.

"I'm sorry." I whisper to him. Peeta He knows I'm referring to looking like her.

"It's fine. Makes me remember what we are fighting for." Haymitch coughs loudly and we pull apart.

"Now that the little sad moment is over. What are you going to do, Mute?" His words make me think. Could I really do as I told my brother? Could I be a career? Could I even kill a child because I want to get a step farther to being safe? All these questions and more run through my head as I look to the ground. I shrug my shoulders after awhile. "I know that. But you will need a lot of help. So an alliance is a good idea. The Careers is the best bet for you. You just need to leave before the final eight." I listen to him, but I'm not sure if that's what I want to do. I could just run off and find a place to hide. I'm good at hiding.

"Only if you want too. It will just help your chances and you don't have to kill right away." Peeta says in a much more even voice. He is trying not to cry and doing a great job at it. But I can just tell.

"Plus, you will be feared that way. The little twelve year olds won't kill you that way." I scoff. Haymitch just said a little twelve year old can kill me. "If you don't team up with them, they will be the one that will kill you." I glare at him but don't fight it.

"What was up with Finnick?" I ask in a louder voice than I used a moment ago in hope of changing the subject. Haymitch and Peeta smirks and start to chuckle. "You put him up to it. I know that. But why?" I add accusingly.

"We didn't." Haymitch lies as he cocks his head to the side. The stupid smirk still on his face. I look at Peeta and he is smiling as if he had a part in it.

"Haymitch was talking about how quiet and reserved you are and told Finnick to make you uncomfortable." Peeta could never really lie to me. So he just tells me. I look back at Haymitch and let at a heavy, content breath.

"It didn't work." I explain to him with a smirk as I lean back into the chair. "Finnick may be the sex icon here. But he has no effect on me." Haymitch only rolls his eyes.

"Whatever. Go get cleaned up and think about the careers. You're too weak to handle living in the arena alone." I do as he says while I flip him off. "I already told you no." I hear Peeta sighs loudly as I turn and walk away to find my room. Thankfully, the sign is up.


End file.
